Improved machine for punching the leaves op elliptic springs



defied tant o. y' GEORGE, HOPSON, OE `nlnnenroiri,y CONNECTICUT.

Letters Pa`te11tl\'o.`1`l(h)0,630, dated March 8, 1870.

IMPRovED MACHINE Pon PUNCHING Tm: LEAVES or ELLIPTIC SPRINGS.

The Schedule referred` tol in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

Tohall whom t mctyconcern: l

Be it known that I, GEGRGE HOPSON, of Bridgeport, in lthe county ot' Fairfield, and State of Connectient, have invented certain'newand useful Improveh ment-s in .lldachines` for Manufacturing Elliptic and l Analogous Springs; `and I do hereby declare the following' to be a full and exact description thereof.

My invention relates tojthe treatment of the leaves or plates, to indent the groove or blind-Slat, as it is termed, and to raise the projection or bead, whereby the plates are matched together and keptin line while they s lp endwise upon each other at their ends, in tlie actof being compressed or` deflected and again'exu tended or resumingtheir original position.`

1t` has longV been common to provide such groove land such f projection, 'and tomatch them together;`

but'my means for `forming them are peculiar, and, in `manypomts, are-prodl1ctive of very marked advan` tages. f

. I will first describe what I consider the bestmeans h of carrying out my invention, and will afterwards designate the points `believed to benen', mentioning some ot' the `more obvious z-tdvantages due to these novel features. y h 1 h l .g y

In the accompanying' drawings which form partof this specificationh ,Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2,'a side elevation ofthe entire machine.

`Figures 3 andi/t are sectional views of some of the l principal parts, to 4be hereinafter referred to.

.Figures 5 andj are 'different `views, in elevation, of oneof thejpnnches set inits stock.

i Fignre7 is atransversesection-of a leaf of a spring, showing the bead as formed by my machine; and

Figure S` is a transverseV section of another leaf, formed with a blind slot, to receive the bead on the Similar letters of reference "indicate corresponding` partsinfallthe figures.V

' Tints are employed merely 3 to aid in distinguishing parts, and `do not imply differences of material.

Referring to the drawingsh Y A A represent side' supports, made `generally of' wood, and constructed to receiveacastiron frame, Bf

B, which, with its attachments, is secured in place and rendered firm in thesupports A A by means of connecting-straps and bolts.. This and many other the frame B Bis journaled ashaft, C, carrying a fly? wheel, and driven from `an engine `or other suitablel motor. l h n' h h AD Dare massive connections receiving motion from cranks `or eccentrics c onthe shaft C.

' E E'are screws of i'arge diameter fitted in the lower ends of' the connections D, each with a strong jamb' nut tohear the strain.

Each of these screws has a flange, e, and a collarf e', as shwn in iig. 1. Y, Bytaking hold ot these collars by means of' a suitable wrench, the screws E can hc turned. y i

` Gr G represent the slides which carry thepunches for forming the blind slot and head. 'lhese slides move in guides formed by a part of the frame B and binders l1 B', as represented more clearly in fig. 3.l

On top` of each slide G is formed orattached a sort of box, g g,-the sides o1' which are connected together by bolts g g on opposite sides of the screws E, above the flanges e of the latter, thus forming the connection between the slides G and rods D. h By taking hold of thel collars e on the screws E' with a suitable wrench, the screws can be turned so as to lengthen or shorten the connection between the' slides G and the drive-shaft, as may be desired.

`Nearl y the entire surface of each slide is .available to serve as guiding-surface andas friction-surface, and the friction is made sufficient to hold up the weight ofthe slide and allow it to remain stationary in its highest position when the slide H is moved back.

from short shafts U', provided each with a lever, U,

K weighted as represented. l.

The movement of these levers is limited by pins q v q on either side.A

When the slides are inthe position represented by dotted lines, fig. 2, in which position they are kept by the weights on the levers U, the connecting-rods D D will rise and fall as the shaft C rotates, without producing anyinotion of the slides G.; but when the slides H H arel moved forward in the boxes g g, which is effectedby depressing the levers U, they filll the spaces between the bottoms of the boxes r/ g and the flanges e 'e ofthe screws, so that the reciprocating y. motion of the connections Dis impartedto theI The lower portion of each slide G is formed with a recess in which a jaw marked G is fitted and secured by meansof the bolt G2. v

A recess is formed in the parts G G for the recep- "tion ot' a punch, I, which is held within such recess.

J represents a key fitted into a key-way provided in the part G1 at thel upper part of the socket or re-v cess which receives the punch I.

By adjusting this key, that is, drivingit more orJ lessginto the opening made for it, the punch I is made to extend belowthelower face of the jaw Gl a greater or lesser distance, as desired, according to the depth towhich the grooves or indentations in the hot plate `orleaf are to be sunk.-

In the lower part of the framing of thc machine, immediately below the slides G, are placed two pairs of blocks which receive and hold the blanks to be impressed by the punches.

The blocks L L of each pair are connected together by a screw, K, having right and left-hand threads h It, as shown in iig. 4. By means of these screws the blocks are made to approach or recede from each other according to the direction in which the screws are turned.

In practice, and bythe in to be. hereinafter described, each screw K is turned alternately in opposite directions, and consequently the movements ofthe blocks L L of each pair toward and from cach other occur alternately and at short intervals, the extent of their movements being limited.

Y represents a die or bed-piece, resting in a recess in the tops of the blocks L L', and covering the space between them. Ou the upper surface of this die rests the blank during the operation of indentiug it.

Z Z are blocks, arranged. at the sides of the die Y and projecting above it, so as to form, in connection with the die, a depression, which receives and holds the blank, and preserves it against spreading laterally, or becoming in any way distorted under the operation of indentinjr. The die Y, if xed at all, is made fast to.only one of the blocks L L.

It is, of course, understood that there are two dies Y, differing slightly in construction, as will bchereinafter described, onel to each pair of blocks L L'.

Each screw K carries a collar, 1, which tits loosely, and is provided with a set-screw, p, by means of which the collar can be fixed in position.

.Q Q are metallic plates, bolted to the sides of the frame B, and forked so as to embrace the tubular portions ofthe collar I), annular grooves heilig formed in the latter for the purpose, as shown. This device prevents thc longitudinal movement of the 'screws K, without interfering -with their being turned. 'p

The screws K are turned by the mechanism to bc now described. Separate but similar sets of mechanism arc employed for turning the two screws, and therefore only one set is here described.

.It is a lever, fitted to turn upon thc screw K, and having bolted to it Aa narrow plate, R, of metal, thus forming a ii'iction-clutch, which receives the outer portion ofthe collar l, as clearly illustrated in the drawings.

R It are springs, attached to the frame of the machine, and connected by mea-ns of rods, vrzr", respect ively, with the clutch device It 1t. These springs tend constantly to throw the clutch-lever It Itnpward;

is a rod, att-ached to the lever It, and connected with a treadle, (not reprcsented,) which can be depressed at will by the direct pressure ofthe foot, or by the action of a brake and clutch, or other mechanism set in motion by means of the foot.A -The depression of the clutch-lever lt Rl on either rside ofthe machine, turns the correspomling screw 1i, so as to draw the blocks .l1 L', which itopcrates, toward each other; and the liberation of the treadle, and consequently of the lever It R, permits the immediate elevation of the said clutch-lever by the action ot' the springs It* R, thus forcing the blocks L L apart. l

T T are stands, adjustable in long slots in arms B, which extend out from near the base ofthe framework B.

The tops of these stands are extended as represented, and are provided each with a pin, point, or projection, t. l By means of these' stands, which serve as gauges,

the plates beingr operated upon are put in proper potion to be indented.

The lower surfaces of the slide G and jaw G are accurately finished; and these surfaces coming h1 contact with the face of the plate being treated, powertervent-ion of mechanism fully compressthe said plate, so as to prevent its distortion under the action of the punch.

It is common to produce the plates or leaves for ellptic or analogous springs with hollowed faces. In other words, the leaves when applied together it closely at .their edges, but are a little distance apart along the center of the upper and lower surfaces. This form of the leaves can be produced in my machine, by so shaping the upper surface of the die Y and the lower surface of the slide G and jaw G', that they are correspondingly rounded; and I so adjust the descent of the slides G as to exactly allow for the thickness of tbe steel, and powerfully compress the upper and lower faces of the hot-steel plate.

The blocks L L', or the facings Z, constituting, in effect, a part thereof, are so formed as to project above the upper surface ofthe dieY to a height about equal to the thickness of the thinnest steel. These projecting portions on the blocks serve to prevent the steel from being apprcciabl y spread under the action of thc punch.

The facings Z, shown in tig. 4, may be either formed with and of the same material as the blocksL L, or they may bc separate. For instance, the main portions ofthe blocks L L may be' of soft iron, while the facings are hardened steel. I have so represented the blocks in the drawings, but I do not consider it essential to the success of my `invention to give the blocks this improved construction.

\Vhen it'is foumlneccssary to adjust the blocks L L to receive wider or narrower steel, the position of the screw Ii is changed, relatively to the level' R. This can bcfdone in small adjustments by liberating the clamping-piece*l-t, and then turning the screw K, together with the collar P, and then re-securing the lever Il by retightening the-clampingpiece R1. p

As before sta-ted, andas shown in the drawings, my machine is provided with two punches, I, differing from each other only in width, the wider one being employed to forni the blind-slot, which receives the bead on the next leaf, and the narrower punch being adapted to make t-he shorter indentation required to mise said bead.

The dies Y Y, which 4rest on the blocks L L', differ in construction in this respect: The one under the punch which forms the blind -slot has no depression in its upper surface, so that the formation of the slot by the punch simply increases the length or width of the steel, or both, to an inappreciable extent; while the die on the other side (where the bead is formed) 'is made with an opening, y, ext-ending down through the die, into which opening the meta-l displaced by the punch above is directly forced and forms the bead.

I have given -nmch attention to so forming the projecting portions of the punches I that the corresponding indent-ations in the steel shall be lof such form as will weaken the plate the least, and have devised a. mode of placing thebliudslots and beads in the leaves, so as to strengthen rather than weaken the spring. This arrangement of the grooves or blind slots and beads will be made the subject of another application; but the form of the punch is represented in' figs. 5 and (i, from which it will be'seeu that a rounded outline is presented in every position, all angles being carefully avoided.

I will now mention certain modifications which may be made in mytmachine.

Instead of weighting the levers U to keep the slides H drawn outfas shown and described, flat springs may be' so attached to the frame-work and to the slides H as to retain the latter in thc position shown by dot-ted lilies, fig. 2.

In place of the arrangement of springs, treadles, and connections hereinbefore described, for operating the ,levers It to turn the 'screws K, said levers may be depressed by hand, and elevated bymeans of springs attached at one end to the lever, and at the other'to some part of the frame.

Thestands T maybe dispensed with.' i

Having thus described my invention, with the means which I prefer for putting it into ofeet,

What I claim asnew, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

. y 1. The herein-described Varrangement; of the two lpunches I I in separate carriers, G G, inoperative except at willand capable Ofoperatingin rapid succession; or simultaneously when desired, and adapted,

the one for forming the blind slot, and the other for `raising the bead, whereby each leaf or plate may be completely punchedat a single heating, as set forth.

. 2.` The parts g g g' carried on the slide G, and the slide H or its eqivalent, combined and arranged for operation relatively to each other and to the screw E,

of distributing the friction necessary to hold the carrierG in its place, overa greater extent of surface, as specified. f f 4. `The Within-described combination and arrange- 'inent of the jaw G', key J, punch I, and. slide G, for

the purposes 'herein set forth.

5. The blocks L L', carrying the die, and connected by means of the right and left-hand screw K,adapted to be turned substantially as described, when arranged as specified with relation to the heated metal and the punch, for the purposes herein set forth.

'6. The combination of the lever R, clamp Rl and bolt r, the ilangel, screw K, and blocks L L', as specified, so that the-blocks L L can be adj usted to whatever width it may be, exactly central under tbe punch, and opeping' and closing a littleby the `action ofthe screw, as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEO. HOPSON.. Titnesses C. O. BULLocK, L. BUnLocK.

admit ,diierent widths of steel, holding the plate, of 

